Travel Agent

Division of Business

Salaried agents usually enjoy standard employer-paid benefits that self-employed agents must provide for themselves. When traveling for personal reasons, agents usually get reduced rates for transportation and accommodations. In addition, agents sometimes take “familiarization” trips, at lower cost or no cost to themselves, to learn about various vacation sites. These benefits often attract people to this occupation.

Travel agents help travelers sort through vast amounts of information to help them make the best possible travel arrangements. They offer advice on destinations and make arrangements for transportation, hotel accommodations, car rentals, and tours for their clients. They are also the primary source of bookings for most of the major cruise lines. In addition, resorts and specialty travel groups use travel agents to promote travel packages to their clients.

Travel agents are also increasingly expected to know about and be able to advise travelers about their destinations, such as the weather conditions, local ordinances and customs, attractions, and exhibitions. For those traveling internationally, agents also provide information on customs regulations, required papers (passports, visas, and certificates of vaccination), travel advisories, and currency exchange rates. In the event of changes in itinerary in the middle of a trip, travel agents intercede on the traveler’s behalf to make alternate booking arrangements.

Travel agents use a variety of published and computer-based sources for information on departure and arrival times, fares, quality of hotel accommodations, and group discounts. They may also visit hotels, resorts, and restaurants themselves to evaluate the comfort, cleanliness, and the quality of specific hotels and restaurants so that they can base recommendations on their own experiences or those of colleagues or clients.

Travel agents who primarily work for tour operators and other travel arrangers may help develop, arrange, and sell the company’s own package tours and travel services. They may promote these services, using telemarketing, direct mail, and the Internet.

They make presentations to social and special-interest groups, arrange advertising displays, and suggest company-sponsored trips to business managers. Agents face increasing competition from travel and airline websites for low-cost fares, but travelers still prefer using travel agents who can provide customized service and planning for complex itineraries to remote or multiple destinations. To attract these travelers, many travel agents specialize in specific interest destinations, travel to certain regions, or in selling to particular demographic groups.

College offers a two-year associate of applied business degree with a major in tourism. A travel industry focus and hospitality industry focus are offered, providing students with the training and skills needed in each of these areas. A special emphasis is place on customer service, marketing, sales and cultural diversity.

Note: Some of the courses offered as part of the Associate of Applied Business in Tourism program apply to professional certification from the Educational Institute of the American Hotel and Motel Association.

Related Educational Opportunities in other Business Programs

Certificate of Completion in Customer ServiceThe customer service certificate of completion will provide participants with the knowledge and skills needed to work in a growing field and to effectively deal with the public as customers. Customer service positions are found in many areas of business including manufacturing, banking, retail stores, travel and tourism and hospitals.

Certificate of Proficiency in EntrepreneurshipThis certificate offers opportunities for individuals to learn about and develop entrepreneurial skills. The entire certificate of proficiency in entrepreneurship is accepted in the associate of applied business – entrepreneurship major.

The program is designed so that approximately three years of this partnership is LCCC coursework and the final year (33 semester hours) is Kent coursework. Kent courses are taught by Kent faculty either in person or via distance learning. Students can complete the business degree with a business management major in its entirety on LCCC’s campus.

International Business Minor OptionGlobal business is fast becoming an important part of the U.S. economy. The world that college graduates are facing will essentially be a triad of powers (the United States and, perhaps, Canada and Latin America; Europe; and Japan and its Asian neighbors) and a “borderless” world. This suggests a need to be trained for employment that will have international implications. Whether the student takes a major in business, fashion design and merchandising, the hard sciences, English or education, some training in global outreach, cultural diversity, and “business cultures” will be necessary. The International Business minor will introduce students to cultural issues of a broad, global nature.

Master of Business Administration (PMBA)The mission of the Kent State MBA program is to prepare students for management and staff positions in regional, national and international organizations through an emphasis on ethical leadership, teamwork, creative problem solving, global perspectives and skilled applications of information technology. This mission is achieved through offering a variety of coursework covering all the disciplines of business and by utilizing teaching techniques that help the student to develop and refine skills in these areas.

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